Friday, July 25, 2008

Fire Station No. 27, the Los Angeles landmark, opened on July 1, 1930. Its 18,227 square feet made it the largest firehouse west of the Mississippi.

Engine Co. No. 27, Hose Co. No. 2, Truck Co. No. 9, Rescue Co. No. 2, and Salvage Co. No. 4 moved in that first day of July. (Even though the building wasn’t quite finished, the units had to move in – the lease on their former home at 1625 North Cahuenga Avenue expired the day before. L.A.’s fire department had been sharing that 1913 building with the city’s police department.)

It didn’t take long for the new No. 27’s first emergency response, either – there was a hotel fire at 6724 Hollywood Boulevard that very afternoon. Turns out the occupants took care of the fire themselves, though.

Top to bottom: locker room, dormitory, rec center.

Peter K. Schabarum designed the two-story, brick building with its tiled roof and three apparatus bays. The station, including land and construction, cost around $178,000. The new firehouse was dedicated with a day and night of celebrating on March 16, 1931.

The city announced in the fall of 1984 that up to sixteen firehouses around the city could possibly face the wrecking ball to make way for fifteen new, larger stations. Even though Old No. 27 was on the list of the outdated stations, it seems the Fire Department had already begun taking the first steps towards an ultimate preservation of the Cahuenga firehouse. (Some of the others taken out of service around that same time are still around, like Nos 29 (a flower shop) and 56 (a restaurant); others, like nearby No. 41 on North Gardner, weren’t so lucky.)

While a brand new No. 27 firehouse opened next door in 1992, it took another nine years for the city to restore fully the 1930 building (thanks, Northridge earthquake), converting it into the L.A. Fire Department Museum. It opened in October 2001.

Top: The LAFD's first fire engine. An Amoskeag Steamer, AKA the Kuhrts Steamer, ordered in 1886 and named after former volunteer fire chief Jacob Kuhrts. It pumped 700 gallons per minute as late as 1986.Bottom: Double Tank 45-Gallon Portable Chemical Fire Engine No. 70

And, boy, is it packed with stuff. In fact, the museum’s so jammed, in order to get a full shot of some of the bigger pieces of equipment, you need a lens much fancier than what I’ve got. If you’re really into firefighting, you’ll need a good portion of the just six hours a week the museum’s open to see the things you’ll want to see.

The museum’s William Rolland Educational Institute opened in 2003, thanks to a $250,000 donation from retired firefighter and Medal of Valor recipient Rolland. The Institute is used as fire safety learning center.

Bottom: 1937 American LaFrance Triple Combination

Outside the Old No. 27, you’ll find the Fallen Firefighters Memorial. The monument features five bronze figures in front of a wall listing the name of every L.A. firefighter who has died in the line of duty since the department was founded in 1886. The statues’ concept is the design of L.A. Fire Captain Duane Golden. The plaza was designed by architect Michael Rotondi, and the limestone monument was designed and built by Yoshikawa.

You want to go to the Memorial’s dedication? The completion of the Fallen Firefighters Memorial will be celebrated on Saturday, August 17, beginning at 11:00 a.m.

The Fallen Firefighters Memorial.

Firehouse No. 27 was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.